Dyeing apparatus



Nov. 23, 1965 H. F. BOOTH 3,218,833

DYEING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 9, 1963 INVENTOR.

HENRY F. BOOTH FIG. -7- (ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofi lice 3,218,833 Patented Nov. 23, 1965 3,218,833 DYEING APPARATUS Henry F. Booth, Isaqueena Trail, Clemson, S.C. Filed Jan. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 250,319 13 Claims. (Cl. 68-177) This invention relates to an apparatus for the piece dyeing of cloth and more specifically to an improved apparatus of the dyebeck type.

Dyeing operations which take place in apparatus of the dyebeck type involve the dissolution of one material into another and the heating of the resulting system. The success of the dyeing process is often dependent upon the uniformity of dispersion and heating which takes place throughout the system. For example, in developing a dyestufl formulation to provide a desired shade, the dyer selects the group of dyestufls which will give him the gen eral color desired and then determines at which temperature the dyestulfs selected will exhaust onto the fabric to provide the desired shade of the general color selected. Once this temperature is selected, it is extremely important that it be controlled since variations in temperature at this point may reverse the exhaustion reaction or vary the rate of exhaustion, thereby providing a shade of color different from that desired.

In a typical situation, a blue, red, and a yellow dyestuif may be formulated to provide a grey color. The dyer then determines that the desired shade of grey, e.g., a greenishgrey will be provided at 205 F., at which temperature the requisite amounts of the various dyestuffs will exhaust onto the fabric to provide the desired shade of color. The dyer also determines that, at a temperature of 200 F., a greater amount of the blue dyestuff will exhaust onto the material, so that a bluish-grey shade will result, whereas at a tem perature of 210 F., a greater amount of yellow dyestulf will exhaust, so as to provide a yellowish-grey shade.

It becomes quite apparent that the dyestulf medium must be carefully controlled at the 205 F. equilibrium level if the desired greenish-grey shade is to be obtained. For example, the portion of the fabric which is contacted by the dyestufl medium at 200 F. will take on a bluishgrey shade, that at 205 F. the desired greenish-grey shade, that at 210 F. a yellowish-grey shade. Obviously, if the temperature varies from 200 F. to 210 F. across the fabric, the fabric undesirably takes on different shades.

Once this situation has arisen, the dyer may follow any one of several alternative procedures. For example, he may attempt to bring a lighter shade, if this is the case, up to the desired shade by adding a sufiicient amount of the color dyestuff required. If the fabric has been dyed a shade darker than desired, some dyestuffs may be removed by stripping agents, although with present day equipment level stripping is as difficult as level dyeing, so that this procedure is not often feasible. On the other hand, the fabric may be dyed a still darker shade, such as black, whereby a useable fabric is obtained, though, of course, not in the desired shade. These procedures increase materially the expense involved in dyeing textile materials and numerous attempts have been made to overcome the conditions which raise these problems.

The dyebeck which is commonly in operation consists in its most simple form, of a tank having a perforated inner wall which divides the tank into two distinct sections, one section of which contains heating elements. The tank is usually a tank having a bottom portion and a substantially rectangular top portion described by side walls, three of which are vertical and the fourth of which slopes inwardly toward the bottom portion. A driven slot reel and guide roll are mounted on top of the tank in a lengthwise fashion. The piece to be dyed is sewed end to end over the reel so that when the reel revolves the piece moves continuously through the dye bath. The tank or kettle is heated by a heating means such as, for instance, an open steam pipe in the front of the apparatus which is separated from the actual dyeing chamber by a perforated partition which prevents the cloth from coming in direct contact with the steam. The perforated partition or inner wall is disposed between the sloping side wall and a vertical side wall. The steam jets are actuated when detecting devices indicate that the temperature of the bath is decreasing. Due to the fact that the steam jets are located in the forward portion of the apparatus, hot and cold spots often occur throughout the dyestufl medium. A more recent innovation in the dyebeck employs closed-end steam coils rather than live steam jets. The closed steam coils, however, do not alleviate the system from the problem of hot and cold spots and therefore dyeing nonuniformities may occur due to the inability to maintain a constant temperature throughout the dyebeck.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an apparatus of the dyebeck type having means for improving temperature and concentration uniformity throughout the dye bath.

It is a further object of this invention to provide apparatus of the dyebeck type which will provide increased uniformity in dye bath temperatures and concentrations for operations employing varying quantities and weights of fabrics.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

In accordance with this invention it has now been discovered that increased uniformity in both temperature and dye concentrations throughout the dye bath of a dyebeck type apparatus may be obtained by placing a baflle above the heating elements employed in the dyebeck. It should be understood that the baffie may be placed at a variety of heights and that the heating element may be any of the heating elements commonly employed in the dyebeck, such as, for instance, open steam jets, closed steam coils or other heating elements suitable for heating liquids. The baffle, however, must be arranged at such an angle as to deflect dye bath liquor which is moving upward from the bottom of the vat toward the rear of the vat. Where the dyebeck is employed in processes using varying amounts and weights of fabrics which will consequently produce varying liquid levels in the dye bath, it is desirable that both bafile heights and baffie angle be adjustable.

A better understanding of the invention may be had from the following drawings.

FIGURE 1 is a top view of the dyebeck of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a projected side view in cross section, the cross section being taken along the line II, II of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a broken projected view of one embodirnent of the bafile of this invention.

FIGURES 4, 5, 6 and 7 are diagrams of the liquor flow of the bafiled dyebeck of this invention.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, the dyebeck which consists of a vat 1 having an inclined inwall 2 on one end thereof and an upright wall 3 at the opposite end thereof is improved by securing a bafile member 4 to a perforated false front 5. Heating elements 6 are located between upright wall 3 and false front portion 5 beneath the .bafiie member 4. Dye addition pipe 7 is located between upright wall 3 and the perforated false front 5 above bafile member 4.

Dye liquor when heated to a boil by heating elements 6 will rise between upright wall 3 and false front portion 5 to strike baffle member 4 from which point the liquor will cascade upward toward the cooler dye liquor surface at that portion of the tank which is farthest from heating elements 6. A better understanding of what is considered the cooler portion of the dye liquor may be had from FIGURE 2 of the drawings. In FIGURE 2, it can be seen that the portion of tank 1 which is farthest from heating elements 6 will receive a lesser amount of heat, heating elements 6 being disposed between wall member 3 and perforated false front member so as not to interfere with the passage of cloth 8 through tank 1. The cloth 8 is continuously circulated by slot reel 9 which is rotated by suitable driving means 11. Maximum cloth handling is obtained by appropriately positioned guide roll 10. Bafiie member 4 lies above heating member 6 and bafiles most of the area between upright wall 3 and perforated false front portion 5. A slight clearance is left between baflle member 4 and upright wall 3 so as to allow for the passage of dye solution from overhead pipe 7.

An additional advantage of the improved dyebeck of this invention should also be noted in a discussion of FIGURES l and 2. Dye solution being added from dye addition means such as overhead pipe 7, is substantially prevented from passing directly through perforated wall 5 into the cloth chamber portion of tank 1. The dye solution on being added from overhead pipe 7 is deflected to a major extent by bafile member 4 and caused to flow downwardly to the lower portion of that section of the dyebeck which lies between perforated wall 5 and end wall 3. Heating element 6 then circulates the added dye solution in an upward direction so that the dye solution is again deflected by bafile member 4 and forced through perforated wall 5 into the cloth chamber of tank 1. The more devious route which the dye solution must follow, due to the baffle member, before entry into the cloth chamber results in a more uniform admixture of the dye solution and hence a more uniformly dyed cloth product.

The angle of the baffle member is a critical feature of this invention. The criticality of the baflle angle is demonstrated by FIGURES 4 to 7. FIGURE 4 is illustrative of a dyebeck having a 'baflle of more than 45 from the horizontal. The baflle placed at an angle of more than 45 causes the boiling dye liquor ascending from heating elements at the bottom of the tank to cascade upward thereby losing force and failing to contact cold areas in the far reaches of the tank. FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic showing of a dyebeck having a baffie at 0 from the horizontal. In the case of FIGURE 5, boiling dye liquor ascending from heating elements at the bottom of the tank are deflected directly down toward the heating elements and thereby effect very little heat exchange with the colder far reaches of the tanks FIGURE 6 is illustrative of a dyebeck having no baffle which is the equivalent of a bafile member placed at 90 from the horizontal. In the case of a dyebeck having no bafile, boiling dye liquor ascending from heating elements at the bottom of the tank reach the liquid surface of the tank but have little or no directional force with which to reach the colder far surfaces of the tank. FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic representation of the preferred angle placement of the baffle of this invention. The baffie of FIGURE 6 is placed at an angle of less than about 45 but more than 0 from the horizontal. The boiling dye liquor ascending from heating elements at the bottom of the tank is caused to cascade upward toward the cooler section in the far reaches of the tank whereby a heat exchange takes place in a rapid manner.

In addition to the criticality of the angle of the baffle member, it has been found that the height of the baflle member is also critical. In general, it has been found that the baffile is most beneficially placed in a manner such that the high edge is slightly below the dye liquor level when at the boil. In view of the face that the dye liquor level may fluctuate within the dyebeck, it is desirable that the baflle be adjustably mounted. The adjustment, in addition to allowing for variations in placement of the baffle height, may also be designed so as to allow for variations in angle settings in the range of from less than 45 from the horizontal and more than 0 from the horizontal.

One type of adjustable baflie member which may be employed in the improved dyebeck of this invention is illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. In FIGURE 3, a perforated false front portion 15 such as is found in a dyebeck has attached thereto a rail member 16 having a dove tail slot 17 running along the entire length of its longitudinal axis. Suitable bolt members 19 are mounted within the dove tail slot 17 so as to secure bracket mem ber 18 to rail member 16. Bracket member 18 has a hinged bafile plate 21 secured thereto by means of a rivet 22. Hinged bafile member 21 has a dove tail groove 23 extending along the longitudinal axis of its outer edge.

A bolt member is suitably mounted within dove tail slot 23 so as to couple baflle member 21 with an arm member 25 of the bracket 18. As bolt members 19 and 24 will ride freely in their respective dove tail slots, hinged bafile member 21 may be set at any desired height or at any deisred angle from less than from the horizontal to more than 45 from the horizontal. When the desired height setting is obtained, hexagonal nuts 26 are tightened to retain the setting. When the desired bafiie angle is obtained, hexagonal nut 27 is tightened over washer 28 to maintain the desired angle setting. Hinged bafile member 21 is conveniently notched at point 29 so as to provide easy access for bolt member 24 into dove tail slot 23 and also to provide sufficient clearance between baflle member 21 and hexagonal nut 26. It should be understood that for purposes of illustration only one height and baffle angle adjusting means have been illustrated. The same mechanism is, however, employed at the opposite side of the baffle member or if desired a mechanism may be employed which is identical in all respects with the illustrated portion, with the exception that the angle adjustment arm may be omitted from the bracket member.

That which is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus of the dyebeck type comprising a tank having a perforated inner wall which divides the tank into two distinct sections, one section of which contains heating means, the improvement comprising at least one baflle member mounted on said perforated inner wall disposed above said heating means said bafile member extending downward from said perforated wall at an angle of more than 0 and less than about 45 from the horizontal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said 'baflie member is a substantially flat baflle member extending downwardly from said perforated wall at an angle of about 25 from the horizontal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bafile member is positioned in a manner such that the upper portion of said bafile member is slightly below the surface level of the dye bath liquor when at the boil.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said baflle member is adjustable as to height.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a dye addition means is disposed above said baflle member.

6. In an apparatus of the dyebeck type comprising a tank having a bottom portion and a substantially rectangular top portion described by solid side walls, three of which are vertical and the fourth of which slopes inwardly toward said bottom portion, a perforated inner wall dis-' 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said bafitle member is a substantially flat baffle member extending downwardly from said perforated wall at an angle of about 25 from the horizontal.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said bafiie member is positioned in a manner such that the upper portion of said baflle member is slightly below the surface level of the dye bath liquor when at the boil.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said bafiie member is adjustable as to height.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said bafile member is adjustable as to angle.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a dye addition means is disposed above said 'baflle member.

12. In an apparatus of the dyebeck type comprising a tank having a bottom portion and a substantially rectangular top portion described by solid side walls, three of which are vertical and the fourth of which slopes inwardly toward said bottom portion, a perforated inner wall disposed between said curved inwardly sloping wall and a vertical side wall and heating means disposed between said perforated wall and a vertical side wall, the improvement comprising at least one adjustable baffle member mounted on said perforated inner wall disposed above said heating means and between said perforated wall and a vertical side wall, said baflle member being adjustable as to height and being adjustable as to angle within the range of more than 0 and less than about 45 from the horizontal whereby dye liquor is circulated in an improved manner.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein a dye addition means is disposed above said bafile member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 993,43 5 5/1911 Bulteau. 1,065,036 6/1913 Evenden 68207 X 2,676,478 4/ 1954 De Mar-co 68177 X FOREIGN PATENTS 731,097 5/1932 France.

1,120,951 4/ 1956 France.

14,101 1892 Great Britain. 537,418 6/1941 Great Britain. 605,679 7/ 1948 Great Britain.

IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR THE DYEBECK TYPE COMPRISING A TANK HAVING A PERFORATED INNER WALL WHICHDIVIDES THE TANK INTO TWO DISTINCT SECTIONS, ONE SECTION OF WHICH CONTAINS HEATING MEANS, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE BAFFLE MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID PERFORATED INNER WALL DISPOSED ABOVE SAID HEATING MEANS SAID BAFFLE MEMBER EXTENDING DOWNWARD FROM SAID PERFORATED WALL AT AN ANGLE OF MORE THAN 0* AND LESS THAN ABOUT 45* FROM THE HORIZONTAL. 